The Italian's managerial appointment had been held up due to a Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) regulation stipulating head coaches in Ligue 1 must be under the age of 65.

However, special dispensation was granted to the 65-year-old manager and his two-year deal was confirmed on Thursday.

Claudio Ranieri has been appointed the new manager of Nantes

Nantes announced the agreement on Thursday, revealing he had signed a two-year deal

Ranieri has been out of football management since being sacked from Leicester City in February despite the fact he led them to their first ever Premier League title in 2016.

The Foxes' decision to replace him with Craig Shakespeare did appear justified, however, as they immediately began climbing the Premier League table and made it into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Nantes will represent a similar challenge for Ranieri, who has experience in French football after a short and unsuccessful stint as Monaco manager between 2012 and 2014.